It was a normal day at the Masaki house. Ryoko yawned and stretched, she almost fell off her rafter. She had a pounding headache. * Boy does my head hurt. Guess I had a little too much sake last night* Ryoko phased downstairs to the kitchen. Sasami was washing dishes when she got there and ryo-oki was on the sink next to her. "I'm starving sasami, what's for breakfast?" "Oh sorry Ryoko but you missed breakfast guess you'll have to wait for lunch." "But sasami." Ryoko whined. "No. Maybe if you didn't sleep so late you wouldn't of missed it." Ryoko grumbled under her breath but stopped when she got a mean look from Sasami. "So where is everybody?" "Um. Well grand father is at the shrine, father is at work, Washu is in her lab, and Mihoshi and Kiyone are on..." "When I said everybody I meant Tenchi." Ryoko interrupted. " Oh well he and Aeka went to the shrine to do their chores." *Why that bratty little princess always trying to snake in on tenchi. Well I'll show her* Ryoko phased away in search of Tenchi. "Your welcome Ryoko." Sasami said out loud to the vanished space pirate.
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"Mornings are so peaceful are they not Lord Tenchi?" Aeka asked in her sugar sweet voice. "Yes they are, very peaceful." Tenchi replied. "Especially since that monster Ryoko isn't up yet. She's so lazy." Tenchi laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Yah...I guess." They continued walking up the shrine steps when Aeka tripped on a crack and fell. Tenchi lunged to catch her and ended up falling on top of her. "Lord Tenchi?" Aeka said embarrassed. Then Tenchi lowered his head and...
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"Where can they be?" Ryoko said out loud. "They better not be alone somewhere. If they are I swear I'll kill that little snob" She had spent the last few minutes searching around the shrine with no sign of them. "Oh well they must still be coming up the steps. She flew away down the steps. She was almost halfway down them when she spotted them. "Tenchi." She called as she flew towards him. Then she saw Aeka fall down. *Ha stupid princess . Now who's graceful.* Ryoko was almost right on top of him when she stopped dead in her tracks. Tenchi ...
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kissed her full on the lips. After a few moments aeka kissed him back. They sat there on the shrine steps oblivious to the things around them, oblivious to Ryoko.
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was kissing aeka. *Oh my god. He can't be...he wouldn't.* Ryoko's eyes filled up with tears as she watched the man she loved kiss another woman. No, not just another woman, her enemy. *How could you do this to me tenchi? How?* Ryoko couldn't stand the sight anymore and phased away.
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Tenchi jumped off aeka. *How could I do that.* Aeka slowly stood up with an embarrassed, but satisfied, look on her face. "Uh Lord Tenchi...I forgot something back at the house. I'll see you later." With that she turned around and ran down the steps. Tenchi just stood there *What have I done?* Aeka flew down the steps with a huge smile on her lips *I've got to tell ryoko this.* Tenchi continued up the steps his heart heavy. *What have I done?"
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Ryoko phased to the cave. It was a secluded spot and no one would look for her there. Not that any one would care if she was gone anyway. Ryoko sat against the cave wall and hugged her knees to her chest. Her face was wet with tears but she didn't care. Memories flooded her head of the first time she saw Tenchi. He was a baby and she would never forget when he locked eyes with her. he was so happy and so was she because suddenly she wasn't alone anymore. That's when it started, that's when she knew she would always be with him. She spent the rest of the day remembering things and going back to this morning. Her heart was tearing up but she couldn't stop. She needed to feel the pain, she needed to feel something, anything.
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Morning turned into afternoon, and afternoon turned into night. It was dinner time and everyone was sitting down to dinner. Everyone but Ryoko. "I wonder where Ryoko is? She's never late for dinner." Sasami said. Everyone looked around and no one knew where she was. "She's probably passed out some where. You know her and her sake." Aeka said rather snottily. "Aeka that wasn't nice at all." Sasami pouted. "Well you know its true." Everyone sweat dropped.
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Ryoko stood up from the cold stone floor and wiped away her tears. "I'm not going to run away. I'm the space pirate Ryoko. Strong, independent. I don't need anyone. I don't give up that easily. Well better get back dinners probably getting cold and I don't want them to get suspicious." With that ryoko phased away back to the house.
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Tenchi stood up and was about to go look for Ryoko when she phased in. "There you are Ryoko we were worried." Tenchi said. "I bet." Ryoko mumbled. Tenchi looked confused but just sat down. There was an open spot next to him and he prepared to be tackled by Ryoko. He was surprised when he didn't feel her iron grip around his neck and he looked up. Ryoko walked to the other side of the table and squeezed between Mihoshi and Sasami. Everyone sweat dropped again and dug in. Through out dinner Ryoko was very quiet. Really unlike her. *I wonder what's wrong with Ryoko she's really quiet tonight.* Tenchi thought to himself. Ryoko played around with her food and didn't dare look at Tenchi. She glanced up occasionally and what she saw sickened her. Tenchi and Aeka kept looking at each other and blushed. Finally Ryoko couldn't stand it anymore. She stood up and slammed her chop sticks down on the table. Everyone looked up at her surprised. "Suddenly I'm not so hungry any more." "Ryoko are you ok? I mean usually you eat a lot." Sasami said. Ryoko looked mad and said " Well excuse me but I'm just not hungry tonight ok." With that she phased away. "I wonder what's wrong with her?" Kiyone said. "Well you know what that means?" Mihoshi said. Everyone looked at her. "More for us." "Mihoshi!" Everyone said. Tenchi stood up and excused himself. He left to go after Ryoko. * Something's wrong with her. I know it." He ran out the front door after her. "Where's he going?" Asked Mihoshi. "After that monster. Why I don't know." Aeka said. Everyone just looked down and continued eating.
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Tenchi searched every where for her. On the roof, in the cave, near the cherry blossoms. There was only one place she could be. At grandpa's tree. He ran over there and he saw her. She was on her knees and she was stroking the waters surface. Her shoulders were slumped down and she lightly shook. He stepped forward to go to her when she started to sing. Tenchi stopped and decided to listen to her song.
There are times when I think of you
sitting here up in my room
your smiling face and deep brown eyes
I sit alone and wonder why
Why did you hurt me o so bad
I can't forget all the times we've had
You were my rock, my solid place
But then I saw it in your face
You fell in love
but not with me
and its killing me
cant you see
I need you here
to hold me tight
take me away
into the night
But your with her now
and i can see
that there's no place
here for me
You fell in love
but not with me
and it's killing me
cant you see
Tenchi was amazed at this. He never knew Ryoko could sing like this, she sounded like an angel. he had never seen her so vulnerable. Not like her usual strong self. Tenchi felt a warmth spreading through him and he had to go to her. But then she did something so unexpected that it stopped him dead in his tracks. She cried. And not the fake crying she did when he pushed her away, but real heart wrenching cries. Each sob was like a stab in his heart. She was crying her heart out and it left him paralyzed to do a thing,. Her body shook with each sob and he was consumed with rage. Who ever did this to her was going to pay. No one hurt Ryoko like this and got away with it. Tenchi stepped forward and sat next to her. He wrapped her in a hug and she looked up at him with her teary eyes and his heart broke. Her face was illuminated by the moon and she looked beautiful. And then she pushed him back roughly, so rough that he ended up on his back. He saw here eyes fill up with fresh tears and she looked so fragile. "Stay away from me." "Ryoko what's wrong? Who hurt you like this? I'll destroy him." "Ha. Then you better be prepared to do your self some bodily harm. Because the person who hurt me was you Tenchi." He stood transfixed to spot. How... when...what. He was so confused. "So u really have no clue what you did. Did you think I wouldn't find out, did you think I didn't know." "Know what Ryoko, what are u talking about?" "I saw you tenchi.. I saw you with her." Tenchi's heart seized with fear. Could she of? He took a chance and asked with a shaky voice "Saw me with who Ryoko?" "Aeka." That one word had sent his whole world crashing down around him. "Say it isn't so Tenchi. Please." She begged. He stood speechless, transfixed to that spot unable to move unable to speak. That one word just running through his mind. Aeka ,Aeka, Aeka. "Well nothing to say. Not going to defend your self eh Tenchi. So it was true and not some just horrible trick my mind played on me." Tenchi still said nothing as he looked at Ryoko. "Say something dammit. I know you can. I know you want to." Tenchi's mouth moved but no sound escaped. "Fine if you have nothing to say I'm leaving and don't try to find me." That one sentence snapped him out of his trance. "I'm leaving and don't try to find me." Ryoko turned around and was prepared to leave when Tenchi's hand flew to her wrist and clamped around it." Ryoko twisted back around to see Tenchi still standing there with this iron grip on her hand. "Tenc..." Ryoko was cut off as her body was crushed against Tenchi's. He grabbed her around the waist and pressed his lips to hers. At first Ryoko was a little stiff but then she loosened into it. The kiss deepened and what was meant to be a soft gentle kiss had turned into a soul searing , world shaking passionate kiss that would leave them both feeling breathless. A tear fell onto his cheek and he wasn't sure if it was hers or his but it didn't matter. A Thousand emotions ran through Tenchi's heart. It felt so good to hold her, to kiss her. This felt right, this felt safe, this felt fated. And then his whole world shut down as Ryoko broke away from the kiss . He felt cold. He looked into her eyes expecting to see what he felt mirrored in her golden eyes but what he saw made his blood run cold. She was in agony and he didn't understand why. And then she spoke. "No tenchi. You cant just kiss me and think it makes everything
better. Because it doesn't take away my pain , it just makes it worse". Tenchi took a step forward and kissed her again. She pushed him away" "Noo...no." And then she phased away. Tenchi lunged at the air but it was too late. She was gone and he didn't think he would ever see her again. He fell to his knees and did the only thing he could. He screamed out the name of the woman he loved "Ryyyyooookkoooo."